Are you satisifed with your progression so far this season?

[cbcbd]

I used to not like the bumps... but with a few tips from here and from people I started getting into them this year and am having a blast (when I do it right ).

That to me is a huge improvement and a big milestone in my skiing. I'm very happy with my proactive progress this year and can't wait to get out more and more!

 

[SIKSKIER]

This is the best thing about being perfect.I don't need to improve. HehHeh. After 40 years of skiing anything that is skiable,from trecherous icy steeps to scary waist deep trees freefalls,I feel I am still improving.You can never stop improving even when your body starts going the otherway healthwise.You have to find a different way to maintain your expectations of skiing great.It's actually the coolist thing about skiing in my opinion.If you reached perfection,it would lose some of its appeal.The best racers in the world find new challenges when their racing days are over with a whole new world of backcountry descents or maybe with mountaineering.With most things in life,THE MORE YOU LEARN,THE MORE YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH YOU DON'T KNOW!

 

[Birdman829]

I have also been bumping it up a lot lately and have been skiing them better than I ever have when I get in a rhythm

Recently a friend pointed out that I will often make my right pole plant far too close to my boot instead of out in front of me. After he pointed this out I tried to observe myself without changing anything and I realized that he was right and that I do this with my right but not my left pole plant. Something to watch for I guess.

In general though I'm not overly concerned with technique. The only thing I worry about is staying balanced and centered (hence my worries about the pole plant). I tend to be more about feel. I know I'm skiing well when I feel like I'm skiing well. I can't really be sure if I have good technique when I feel like I'm skiing well.

 

[hammer]

Well.... Let's be fair here. I had the boots done before the season started. So basically, it was no different than any other season's first run. Had I gotten them for say my 7th trip of the season, may have been different. So, the short answer is no, no period of adjustment to adverse effects.

We did work on canting, basically applying strips of duct tape to my boots to simulate canting. There was some getting used to there. I had to get used to not catching an edge all the time. I never realized what was going on and just thought that's the way it is. My boots are not canted, yet. They are still packing out a bit and the degree out of level I am is changing. Once it steadies up, I'll be there for that. Then there will very likely be a period of adjustment, again.

The biggest thing I got was a snug fitting pair of boots that do not hurt. Last year, I basically tightened down the boots as much as I could stand it and just put up with it and skiied on them. This year, I am getting minor adjustments for such things as "my pinky toe is a little too snug, after an hour and a half it's a little cramped". Last year, I would have loved to have been able to say that.

I hear you on the canting...been skiing with the duct tape and I notice my turns to the right aren't as awkward. Need to try without the tape to see if I have problems, but I'm also waiting until I get more mileage.

With the new boots, I'm most likely making improvements (I certainly feel more connected to my skis) but I have to get used to a different idea of "what feels right".

 

[njskier]

Just wondering, what's canting and how does duct tape help??

 

[RISkier]

Just wondering, what's canting and how does duct tape help??

I'm certainly not an expert. You might post your question in the boot fitting thread so that Jeff will see it and respond. Basically, we don't all have perfectly aligned legs and feet. Some are bow legged, some are knock kneed, we have feet that pronate, etc. This often results in one or both skis not being flat when we're standing naturally. So it makes it hard to get a ski on edge or it makes folks prone to catch a certain edge, etc. Custom footbeds and boot work can help correct a lot of these problems. Canting is about the last thing that's usually done and it's basically changing the angle of your boot sole. Folks often use duct tape to experiment with how much canting they actually need. It's best to have a bootfitter assess you and at least get you in the ballpark before you start arbitrarily slapping tape on your boot edges.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

In the bumps, worked on pole planting during the offseason and I have better poling in the bumps now. The A&E is going fine, I just need more reps.
.

What did you do in the off season for better poling?

 

[jack97]

What did you do in the off season for better poling?

My problem was the timing, using the plant to start the turn. Last season, it was evident that my planting was late when I went into the bumps with steeper pitches. And I would consistently drag my poles and leave it behind.

My goal was to get this sequence, plant to start a turn so that it becomes second nature. I started wedeling turns on dryland. I used a pair of rotary disc, a sturdy lazy susan use for exercise and rehabilitation purposes, look at the links below. By standing on these disks, twisting the core and hips, it almost mimics wedeling or rotary turns. I would pole plant to start the twist and bring my hands back to a proper position in the front. So, the exercise was more about muscle timing and hand position.

Also, I read how some have use wedeling and pivot slips to separate upper and lower body movement, the disc might be a good dryland exercise for this purpose.

http://www.power-systems.com/nav/closeup.aspx?c=3&g=2949&Eco/Pro/Rotational/Discs
http://www.harbskisystems.com/pivotboard.htm

 

[Goblin84]

those disc's are decives of the devil when going through rehab with them. then again rehab in general is a way for you to pay for torture and make yourself look like a fool....